NO. DE PÁGINAS: 528

CONTENIDO:

Although part of modern meteorology is a sophisticated mathematical science, much of the weather around us can be qualitatively understood and appreciated without the use of mathematics. In writing an introductory meteorology book designed to appeal to the reader not mathematically inclined, as well as to the reader who has a strong mathematical and physical science background, we have tried to strike a common responsive chord-curiosity about the atmosphere and its fascinating variety of phenomena. Rather than emphasize abstract facts or physical concepts, which many people find boring or irrelevant, we have departed somewhat from the traditional introductory textbook format by integrating explanations of basic physical processes into the discussion of atmospheric phenomena or processes that are likely to be of interest to the reader. The Atmosphere is written for the casual, as well as the sophisticated, observer of the weather to explain those atmospheric phenomena that people are likely to encounter, whether driving across the country on an interstate highway, flying 30,000 feet over the ocean, or skimming across whitecaps in a small sailboat on a summer afternoon. Observation is the key to understanding the atmosphere, and we have tried to show the reader what to observe, and how to interpret these observations in a meaningful way. The third edition of The Atmosphere has been restructured so that the organization is more useful to the student and the instructor. The reorganization was based on detailed comments provided by many users of the earlier editions. The book maintains its nonmathematical approach, which helps students understand the weather as it affects them on a daily and seasonal basis. The third edition begins with a survey of the development of meteorology as a science. In the second and third chapters, the origin of the atmosphere, the important atmospheric variables, and the horizontal and verˇical structure of the atmosphere are introduced to prepare the student for the later chapters treating meteorological phenomena. The basic physics important in meteorology, radiation, and the laws governing the behavior of the atmosphere are treated next, followed by a chapter on moisture and clouds. Synoptic meteorology in extratropical latitudes is discussed in chapters 7 and 8. The discussion of hurricanes, now included as a separate chapter, has been updated and expanded. A new chapter on thunderstorms and tornadoes, which includes an enhanced treatment of lightning, has been added. A major addition to the third edition is a chapter on climate. In addition to discussing the physical factors affecting climate, numerous maps depict the climate of the earth and North America.